Mets series re-cap; on to Petco!

So, nearly everything broke just right as the M’s took the first two games in the series against the Mets. Of course, the Mariners had no chance for a sweep with Miguel Batista on the mound for last night’s 8-2 loss. When you consider that the Mariners outhit the Mets last night, six base hits to New York’s five, and that the Mariners’ bullpen pitched 5 1/3 hitless, scoreless innings in relief, the reason for last night’s collapse in Win Expectancy lies solely on the shoulders of Miguel Batista, who is now half-way in his pursuit of 20 losses by running his record to 3-10. (A negative .348 win probability for Miguel yesterday? Willie Bloomquist having the highest WPA out of the M’s lineup? Really.)

Yesterday’s performance delivered final proof that there is no reason for Batista to continue to be on the Marienrs’ roster. None. Some faint hope that he will hearken back to his 16-win performance from last season or his 31-save 2005 season. The fact is that with Batista, you have a 37-year old washed up below league-average pitcher, who never had dominating stuff, relying instead on guile and ability to mix up pitches for whatever success he’s had in the major leagues. At this point in his career, the only interesting thing about Batista is that he writes crime novels, and that’s not enough to justify him trotting out to the mound to deliver a stinker of a performance and lose every fifth day. Seriously, its time to drop his dead weight ass and call up Rich Dorman or Ryan Feierabend or anybody from the Triple-A roster who could  deliver league-average innings more cheaply while offering the ability to not deliver a guaranteed loss every fifth day. Jesus, in Batista’s twenty appearances so far this season, the M’s are pulling in a .350 winning percentage! There is no more sure fire way for the Mariners to lose than to have Batista be on the mound at any point in the ballgame, whether its starting or relieving, as we learned last Saturday against the Braves.

Just DFA Batista’s sorry ass… now!

Whew. That was my little rant. I feel much better now. As for the rest of the series with the Mets, upon reflection it appears that the Mets’ struggles this season may not have been Willie Randolph’s fault. As for the Mariners? Well, maybe it was due to John McLaren’s abilities as manager that led to this horrendous season for the M’s. Undoubtedly, it was impressive for the Mariners to keep the team that was one game away from the 2006 World Series to just two runs over the first two games, but it must be admitted that it was blind luck that helped the Mariners garner the 5-2 victory against Johann Santana in the first game. And I mean that literally, as Felix Hernandez hit a grand slam with his eyes closed, right after an error by Mets third baseman David Wright loaded the bases.

As for the second game, Jarrod Washburn must’ve looked on with envy as the Mariners tallied up eleven runs in support of R.A. Dickey in an 11-0 blowout, securing the eighth series for the Mariners so far this season.

Now, after today’s travel day, the M’s head to San Deigo for a three game series against the Padres, Seattle’s “natural rival,” at Petco Park. The current scheduled pitching match-ups for the Padres series:

Washburn (2-7, 5.52, 5.9 K/ 9 IP) vs. Randy Wolf (5-6, 4.09, 8.3 K/ 9 IP)

Carlos Silva (3-9, 5.92, 3.5 K/ 9 IP) vs. Cha Seung Baek (!) (1-2, 5.11, 6.2 K/ 9 IP in five games, four starts with the Padres)

Dickey (2-3, 4.79, 6.3 K/ 9 IP)- though there is talk that Mr. Glass will start Sunday instead- vs. last year’s NL Cy Young Award winner Jake Peavy (5-4, 2.77, 8.9 K/ 9 IP)

The M’s may have taken two of three from San Diego last month, but the prognosis for this weekend does not look good.  To begin with, as Silva is taking the mound on Saturday, that’s a guaranteed loss right there.  (Plus, I wouldn’t be surprised if Baek tosses a four-hit shutout.)  And considering that Peavy is unbeaten in four decisions in five career starts against the M’s, Seattle has its work cut out for them on Sunday, regardless of whether Dickey or Bedard takes the mound.  That leaves Friday as the team’s best chance to pick up a win, but considering the abysmal 3.86 run support Washburn has received this season I wouldn’t count on anything.  Indeed, in three out of his last five starts, Washburn has tossed six innings and allowed less than two runs, only to be rewarded with a no decision in each outing.  Considering that Washburn has been hampered by non-existent run support for a few years now, this isn’t a short-term trend, and it should be expected for the M’s bats to struggle tomorrow against Randy Wolf.

But, hey, the optimistic side of my nature is going to defeat my inner cynic.  I’m picking the M’s to come out on top Friday by a 5-4 score.  The rest of the weekend?  Not so good….